Head Bolt Torque Specs by Engine

There is no single head bolt torque figure. Head bolts are tightened in stages, in a defined pattern from the centre of the head outward, and most engines built since the 1990s finish with a rotation angle rather than a torque — for example 22 ft·lbs, then 90°, then another 90°. The tables below give the published procedure for 43 common engines.

Read This Before Using the Tables

• Check your exact engine and year. Manufacturers revise head bolt procedures mid-production. The Toyota 2AZ-FE is the clearest example on this page: the published first-stage torque dropped from 58 ft·lbs on early engines to 52 ft·lbs (70 N·m) on later ones. Both rows are listed; using the wrong one matters.
• Bolt length and group matter. Many heads mix long and short bolts, or M11 and M8 bolts, with different specs for each — GM LS, Honda J35 and the 5.7 Hemi all do. Applying one figure to every bolt in the head will damage the engine.
• This is a cross-check, not a substitute for the manual. Use the factory service manual or the gasket manufacturer’s instruction sheet for your specific engine as the authority. If a figure here disagrees with that sheet, follow the sheet.
• Never reuse a torque-to-yield bolt. Rows marked TTY — replace use bolts that are stretched past their yield point by design and are single-use.

How to Read These Specs

Comma-separated figures are successive passes. “24, 44, 66 ft·lbs” means three complete passes over the head in sequence: every bolt to 24, then every bolt to 44, then every bolt to 66.

“+90°” is a rotation, not a torque. After the torque pass, each bolt is rotated a further 90° in the same sequence. Use an angle gauge or a wrench with an angle mode — estimating by eye down a deep bolt well is not accurate enough.

“Loosen” steps are deliberate. Where a procedure says to back the bolts fully off part-way through, that step resets thread friction so the following angle stages produce a repeatable clamp load. Do not skip it.

The Bolts column shows TTY — replace for single-use torque-to-yield fasteners, Check length where the manufacturer publishes a maximum bolt length that decides reuse, and Reusable for conventional bolts in good condition.

Toyota & Lexus

Engine	Size	Years	Tightening procedure	Bolts	Source
22R-E	2.4 L I4	1989–1995	58 ft·lbs (79 N·m) in sequence, multiple passes	Reusable	AERA
1ZZ-FE	1.8 L I4	1998–2003	36 ft·lbs (49 N·m), then +90°	Check length	AERA
2AZ-FE (early)	2.4 L I4	2002–2005	58 ft·lbs (79 N·m), then +90°	Check length	AERA
2AZ-FE (later)	2.4 L I4	2006–2012	52 ft·lbs (70 N·m), then +90° · 10 bolts, oiled · max bolt length 144.2 mm	Check length	Toyota FSM
2GR-FE	3.5 L V6	2006–2016	27 ft·lbs (36 N·m), +90°, +90°, per bank · short bolts 22 ft·lbs (30 N·m)	Check length	Toyota FSM
3RZ-FE	2.7 L I4	1994–2000	29 ft·lbs (39 N·m), +90°, +90° · replace if threads below 10.4 mm	Check length	AERA
1MZ-FE	3.0 L V6	1994–2002	12-point bolts 40 ft·lbs (54 N·m), then +90° · recessed bolts 13 ft·lbs (18 N·m)	Check length	AERA

Honda & Acura

Engine	Size	Years	Tightening procedure	Bolts	Source
D16Y7 / D16Y8	1.6 L I4	1996–2003	14, 36, then 49 ft·lbs (19, 49, 66 N·m) — then repeat the 49 ft·lbs pass	Reusable	AERA
D16Z6	1.6 L I4	1992–1995	22, then 53 ft·lbs (30, 72 N·m)	Reusable	AERA
B18C1	1.8 L I4	1994–2000	22, then 60 ft·lbs (30, 81 N·m)	Reusable	AERA
B18B1	1.8 L I4	1994–2001	22, then 63 ft·lbs (30, 85 N·m)	Reusable	AERA
F22B1	2.2 L I4	1994–1997	29, 51, then 72 ft·lbs (39, 69, 98 N·m)	Reusable	AERA
F23A1	2.3 L I4	1998–2003	22 ft·lbs (30 N·m), +90°, +90° · with new bolts add a third +90°	TTY — replace	AERA
K20A2	2.0 L I4	2002–2003	29 ft·lbs (39 N·m), +90°, +90° · with new bolts add one further +90°	TTY — replace	AERA
J30A1	3.0 L V6	1998–2004	29, 51, then 72 ft·lbs (39, 69, 98 N·m)	Reusable	AERA
J35A1	3.5 L V6	1998–2001	M8 bolts 15 ft·lbs (20 N·m) · M11 bolts 47 ft·lbs (64 N·m) · use new bolts	TTY — replace	AERA

Ford

Engine	Size	Years	Tightening procedure	Bolts	Source
302 Windsor	5.0 L V8	1988–1993	Long bolts 80 ft·lbs (108 N·m) · short bolts 68 ft·lbs (92 N·m), staged	Reusable	AERA
4.6 L Triton 2V	4.6 L V8	1996–2001	15–22 ft·lbs (20–30 N·m), +85–95°, +85–95° · new bolts	TTY — replace	AERA
4.6 L modular	4.6 L V8	1997–2004	27–32 ft·lbs (37–43 N·m), +90°, +90°	TTY — replace	AERA
5.4 L Triton	5.4 L V8	1999–2002	27–32 ft·lbs (37–43 N·m), +90°, +90° · new bolts	TTY — replace	AERA
2.3 L Duratec	2.3 L I4	2001–2004	44 in·lbs (5 N·m), 11 ft·lbs, 33 ft·lbs (45 N·m), +90°, +90°	TTY — replace	AERA
3.0 L Duratec	3.0 L V6	1996–2004	27–32 ft·lbs (37–43 N·m), +85–95°, loosen 360°, 27–32 ft·lbs, +85–95°, +85–95°	TTY — replace	AERA

General Motors

Engine	Size	Years	Tightening procedure	Bolts	Source
Small-block 350	5.7 L V8	1986–1996	24, 44, then 66 ft·lbs (33, 60, 89 N·m) in sequence	Reusable	AERA
LS Gen III (LS1, LS6, LM7, LR4, LQ4)	4.8–6.0 L V8	1997–early 2004	M11 bolts: 22 ft·lbs (30 N·m), +90°, then +90° on the eight long bolts and +50° on the two short bolts · M8 bolts 22 ft·lbs	TTY — replace	GM spec
LS Gen IV (LS2, LS3, LQ9)	5.3–6.2 L V8	mid 2004–2015	M11 bolts: 22 ft·lbs (30 N·m), +90°, +70° · M8 bolts 22 ft·lbs (30 N·m)	TTY — replace	GM spec
3800 Series	3.8 L V6	1988–2004	25 ft·lbs (34 N·m), +90°, +90°	TTY — replace	AERA
Ecotec L61	2.2 L I4	2000–2004	22 ft·lbs (30 N·m), then +155° · small bolts 18 ft·lbs (24 N·m) · replace bolts	TTY — replace	AERA

Nissan & Infiniti

Engine	Size	Years	Tightening procedure	Bolts	Source
KA24DE	2.4 L I4	1991–2002	22, 58 ft·lbs (30, 79 N·m), loosen fully, then 22, 54–61 ft·lbs (30, 73–83 N·m)	Reusable	AERA
SR20DE	2.0 L I4	1996–1999	29, 58 ft·lbs (39, 79 N·m), loosen all, 25–33 ft·lbs (34–45 N·m), +90°, +90°	TTY — replace	AERA
VG30E	3.0 L V6	1987–1997	22, 43 ft·lbs (30, 58 N·m), loosen, then 22, 43–47 ft·lbs (30, 58–64 N·m)	Reusable	AERA
VQ30DE	3.0 L V6	1995–2000	72 ft·lbs (98 N·m), loosen fully, 25–32 ft·lbs (34–43 N·m), +90°, +90°	TTY — replace	AERA
VQ35DE	3.5 L V6	2001–2006	72 ft·lbs (98 N·m), loosen fully, 26–32 ft·lbs (35–43 N·m), +90–95°, +90–95°	TTY — replace	AERA

Subaru

Engine	Size	Years	Tightening procedure	Bolts	Source
EJ22	2.2 L H4	1991–1994	14 ft·lbs (19 N·m), +80–90°, +80–90°	TTY — replace	AERA
EJ25	2.5 L H4	2001–2003	22, 51 ft·lbs (30, 69 N·m), loosen, then bolts 1–2 to 25 ft·lbs and bolts 3–6 to 11 ft·lbs, then all +90°, +90°	TTY — replace	AERA

BMW

Engine	Size	Years	Tightening procedure	Bolts	Source
M42 / M44	1.8–1.9 L I4	1991–1998	22–26 ft·lbs (30–35 N·m), +90°, +90° · use new bolts	TTY — replace	AERA
M50 / M52	2.5–2.8 L I6	1991–2000	22–26 ft·lbs (30–35 N·m), +90°, +90° · use new bolts	TTY — replace	AERA
M20	2.5–2.7 L I6	1982–1990	29–33, 44–47 ft·lbs (39–45, 60–64 N·m), then +20–30°	TTY — replace	AERA

Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep & Ram

Engine	Size	Years	Tightening procedure	Bolts	Source
5.7 L Hemi	5.7 L V8	2003–2005	M12 bolts 25, 40 ft·lbs (34, 54 N·m), then +90° · M8 bolts 15, 25 ft·lbs (20, 34 N·m)	TTY — replace	AERA
4.0 L I6 (Jeep)	4.0 L I6	1991–1997	22, 45, then 110 ft·lbs (30, 61, 149 N·m)	Reusable	AERA
4.0 L I6 (Jeep)	4.0 L I6	1998–2004	100 ft·lbs (136 N·m), staged	Reusable	AERA

Volkswagen, Mitsubishi & Mazda

Engine	Size	Years	Tightening procedure	Bolts	Source
VW 1.8 8V	1.8 L I4	1985–1993	29, 44 ft·lbs (39, 60 N·m), +90°, +90°	TTY — replace	AERA
Mitsubishi 4G63	2.0 L I4	1995–1999	58 ft·lbs (79 N·m), loosen fully, 15 ft·lbs (20 N·m), +90°, +90°	TTY — replace	AERA
Mazda BP	1.8 L I4	1990–1996	56–60 ft·lbs (76–81 N·m) in sequence	Reusable	AERA

Where These Figures Come From

AERA — rows marked AERA come from the torque specification reference published by MAHLE Aftermarket from Automotive Engine Rebuilders Association data, the table professional engine rebuilders work from. Source PDF.

Toyota FSM — rows marked Toyota FSM are taken directly from Toyota factory repair manual sections (Service Specifications and Cylinder Head), including the bolt length limit and the requirement to oil the threads.

GM spec — the LS rows come from the published GM sequence, cross-checked between two independent references that agree on every stage.

Where sources disagreed, we went with the factory manual and said so. The 2AZ-FE rows are listed separately for exactly that reason. Engines newer than roughly 2015 are not covered here — for those, work from the manual for your specific engine.

Why Head Bolts Are Different

The gasket needs even clamp load. A head gasket seals combustion pressure at hundreds of psi across a surface with wildly varying stiffness. If one corner is clamped harder than another, the gasket leaks there first — usually into a coolant passage.

Tightening in stages keeps the head flat. Pulling one bolt to full torque before its neighbours lifts the head at the far end. Every factory sequence runs the whole set to a low value first, then a middle value, then final.

The pattern spirals outward from the centre. Head bolt sequences almost always start at the two centre bolts and work outward in a spiral or alternating pattern, so the head is drawn down from the middle and any distortion is pushed to the edges. The numbered order for your engine is printed in the service manual and on most gasket instruction sheets.

Angle beats torque for accuracy. Thread friction makes a torque reading a poor proxy for clamp load — variation of ±25% is normal. Once a bolt is snug, rotating it by a measured angle stretches it a known amount, which is far more repeatable. That is why modern specs read “30 N·m plus 90°”.

Torque-to-Yield Bolts

They are stretched past their elastic limit on purpose. A TTY bolt is designed to yield slightly at final tightening. That puts it on the flat part of its stress curve, where clamp load stays almost constant even as the head and block expand and contract with heat.

They cannot be reused. A yielded bolt has already given up its stretch. Re-tightening it takes it further along the curve toward fracture, and the clamp load it produces is unpredictable. Replace the full set.

Check length before you condemn a set. Some manufacturers publish a maximum length instead — Toyota specifies 144.2 mm for the 2AZ-FE, against a standard 141.3–142.7 mm — and a bolt longer than that has stretched and is scrap. Where no length is published, treat an angle-spec bolt as single-use.

Buy an angle gauge. Estimating 90° by eye on a socket in a deep well is not accurate enough. A cheap angle gauge or a wrench with a built-in angle mode removes the guesswork.

Preparation That Changes the Result

Clean and chase the block threads. Oil or coolant trapped in a blind hole hydro-locks the bolt: the wrench reads full torque against trapped fluid, not clamp load, and can crack the block. Chase every hole with a thread chaser — not a cutting tap — and blow it out.

Lubricate exactly as specified. Most head bolt specs assume light engine oil on the threads and under the head. Dry or greased threads at the same torque produce a completely different clamp load.

Check the deck and head for flatness. A warped head will not seal at any torque. Check with a straightedge and feeler gauge before the gasket goes anywhere near it.

Follow the retorque instruction, if there is one. Some engines and many aftermarket gaskets call for a retorque after a heat cycle. Others explicitly forbid it. Do what the gasket maker says.

Common Questions

What is the torque for head bolts?

There is no universal figure — head bolts are specified per engine as a staged sequence, and many finish with an angle rather than a torque. Examples from the table on this page: GM LS Gen III is 22 ft·lbs then +90° then +90°/+50°; Ford 4.6 modular is 27–32 ft·lbs then +90° then +90°; Honda K20A2 is 29 ft·lbs then +90° then +90°; Toyota 1ZZ-FE is 36 ft·lbs then +90°. Older non-angle engines like the small-block Chevy 350 use plain torque passes of 24, 44 then 66 ft·lbs.

Can you reuse head bolts?

It depends on the bolt. Conventional bolts on older engines — small-block Chevy, Ford 302, Jeep 4.0, most Honda B and D series — can usually be reused if the threads are clean and the bolt is within any published length limit. Torque-to-yield bolts cannot: they are deliberately stretched past their elastic limit and must be replaced as a complete set. The table on this page marks which is which.

What does “22 ft·lbs, +90°, +90°” mean?

Three passes over the whole head in the factory sequence. First bring every bolt to 22 ft·lbs. Then go around again rotating each bolt exactly 90° further. Then a third pass of another 90°. The angle stages set clamp load far more accurately than a torque reading, because they measure bolt stretch directly instead of fighting thread friction.

Why do some procedures tell you to loosen the bolts?

Engines like the Nissan VQ35DE, Mitsubishi 4G63 and Subaru EJ25 have a deliberate loosening step: tighten to a high value, back the bolts fully off, then re-tighten from a low torque plus angle stages. The first pass beds the gasket and settles the joint; loosening resets the friction so the final angle stages produce a consistent, predictable clamp load.

What order do you tighten head bolts in?

Start at the centre of the head and work outward, alternating side to side, following the numbered pattern in the service manual or on the gasket instruction sheet. Never work along the head from one end — that lifts the far end and distorts the deck. The same order is used on every pass.

Do you oil head bolts before installing them?

Follow the manual for that engine. Most specs assume light engine oil on the threads and under the bolt head — Toyota, for instance, explicitly calls for it on the 2AZ-FE and 2GR-FE — and the published torque figure is calibrated for that condition. Installing dry, or with assembly grease, at the same torque gives a clamp load that is badly wrong in one direction or the other.